The present invention relates to a data processing device, and more particularly, to a device which displays the names of files having similar file types together in a window.
In a conventional data processing device, the files are named with a filename and an extension, with files of a similar type having similar extensions. Generally in this device, the names of the files are sorted in accordance with their extensions as shown in FIG. 8. Another data processing device uses a more complicated method of sorting files in accordance with their extensions, as shown in FIG. 9. In this device application icons 56 are displayed in a main menu screen 55. When one of the applications is selected, the name of files 57 which can be processed by the selected application are displayed on the index display screen 58. If an operator selects one of the files on the index display screen 58, the application is activated and the selected file is opened.
In the former type of device, since the file names are displayed on the screen in a predetermined order, and if the number of the files exceeds the number which can be displayed on one screen, the screen must be scrolled in order to view all the files. This reduces the efficiency of finding files, since many files must be searched before a desired file can be found.
In the latter type of device, in order to see the names of files readable by another application, when the file names readable of one application is displayed, the current screen must be closed once, and the main screen must be displayed again. Thus, the second type of device also reduces the efficiency of finding desired files.